Colin Hendry, the former Blackburn Rovers captain and Scotland international, bleeds tartan blood and could have been an extra in Braveheart. He is the archetypal Scot.When Hendry speaks about his nation's football team, people tend to sit up and take notice, but surely he has gone too far this time in suggesting that Barry Ferguson should be welcomed back into the national team now that George Burley has been sacked.
This is the same Ferguson who, along with Allan McGregor, is serving a lifetime ban from representing his country for sparking "Boozegate" with an all-night drinking session four days before a crucial World Cup qualifier against Iceland.
The same two players compounded that crass error with the schoolboy antics of flicking V-signs at photographers as they sat out the game at Hampden Park.
They embarrassed themselves, their domestic clubs at the time and their country. The poured lager, or whatever it was they were drinking all over the Scottish saltire with complete contempt.
And since then, their nation has failed to qualify for the World Cup and as a result Burley has been forced to carry the can.
Just because Ferguson has plagiarised Oscar Wilde by having "Every saint has a past, every sinner a future" tattooed on his arm, his literary body art does not give him the automatic right to redemption.
Of course he realises that he made a mistake and we live in a society where everyone deserves a second chance, but surely he crossed the line with his antics and there is no way that the Scottish FA could revoke the suspension.
What kind of message would that send to every other Scotland player representing their country?
How can the Scottish FA be comfortable with the suggestion that there are no holds barred while you are on international duty and any transgressions, however serious, can be swept under the carpet eventually?
Scotland will be appointing another broom as manager in the near future to clean up the mess left by Burley and start work on qualification for Euro 2012.
The new man will be charged with trying to restore some pride to a shattered nation and will need his best players.
But how could Burley's successor be comfortable with all the baggage Ferguson would bring back to the squad if his ban was lifted?
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish felt that the player's punishment was "heavy" at the time, but the former national team coach may have mixed feeling about the prospect of an international comeback by his player because he is benefiting most from Ferguson's exile.
The midfielder is playing some of his best football at St Andrew's without the added workload of representing his country. Scotland's loss has been Birmingham's gain.
That should be the way it remains.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Get your facts right!
At no time whatsoever did Gordon Smith or the SFA say that it was a lifetime ban. It was the media that portrayed it as a lifetime ban.
Gordon Smiths comments are on record why dont you check what he said first before spouting your nonsense.
He should have had 3 lifetime bans, one for drinking and at least 2 for that UNbelievably crass, child like, moronic, blah blah ....embarrassing behavior as he / they sat on the bench. Captain? Ambassador? c'mon!!